Be kinder than is necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle...

AFS Conference 2013

Dear friends of fur bearing animals,

It is a pleasure to report on our conference of May 31 - June 2, in Washington DC. The conference offered something for everyone who participated since, apart from covering many aspects of the fur industry and other exploitations of fur bearing animals, we successfully included many subject matters ranging from veganism to humane education in schools to animals exploited in circuses. We had attendees and speakers from many parts of the United States, and from countries as far away as Australia, Brazil, China, South Korea, and South Africa.

Ours is a small, intimate conference where people have a chance to get to know one another, become friends and strengthen their faith in working for animals. Socializing with like minded individuals, and learning from one another was truly special. So, we had a marvelous time with plenty of great food and entertaintment!

We are also pleased to present to you, free of charge, most of the sessions that were recorded; available on this link: Sessions on videos-- Featured was the documentary "The Witness" produced by Tribe of Heart, and presented by Eddie Lama, the subject of this movie. To watch Eddie Click here. Beautiful as well, was Dana Ellyn's art exhibit which demonstrated an expression of the higher soul inherent in human beings that so needs to be reinforced. For a glimpse of our meeting, watch this slide show, click here

The Anti-Fur Society will be exhibiting at the Green Festival in downtown Washington DC, being held at the DC Convention Center, September 21-22. Come visit our booth and learn first hand about the work we do to expose a certain monstrous industry called "FUR TRADE. The Green Festival is a great place to spend the day by yourself or with your family, plenty of green entertainment for children and adults, not to mention great food. Find us: www.greenfestivals.org/exhibitors/browse-by-city/washington-d.c.-2013/

Fur bearing animals are victims NOT only of the fur trade. The cruel attacks go from live skinning by the fur trade to being torn to pieces in bloodsports. The "buffets" of horrors are fair game for anyone who wishes to indulge in it. There are virtually NO laws to protect fur bearing animals in fur farms or in the wild. Living in the compassionate AR community, we are constantly shocked by the violent acts of abhorrent cruelty inflicted on animals outside our cocoon. But we must face the reality in the rest of the world, and not only speak up but take actions for those who so suffer. The Anti-Fur Society has produced a series of action links to help people take action in a speedy way. These links involved an immense amount of heart wrenching work to not only give you an idea of what happens in the animals' world but also to make it easy for you to take action for them. The petitions have been programmed so that when you sign one, the second can be signed simply by adding your email. It is that easy! To learn about fur trapping, fox/coyote penning and bear baiting or baying, please check this web page BLOODSPORTS IN THE USA and videos PENNING VIDEO // TRAPPING VIDEO created specifically to bring an understanding about the importance of the petitions below:

It is important to never miss an opportunity to expose those who support the bloody fur trade. "Celebrities" are largely responsible for the new fur boom which the fur trader has been bragging about. They are not bluffing about their newest claim of multi-billion dollars increase in revenues. They are also moving on without any significant voice from the opposition while its inherent cruelty is presented to the ignorant public as an eco-friendly glamor. What is left for us to do? Boycott anyone who supports the fur industry! "Celebrities" are the main culprits in this bloody story.Know who they are, boycott them and spread the word. Remember: One voice = one lit candle in the darkness! To help identify these "celebs", we have produced two Youtube videos: 1) Featuring 120+ fur wearing celebshttp://bit.ly/12I8vie 2) Featuring 125+ fur FREE celebs:http://bit.ly/145UB8I

We have also updated this page CRUELTY-FREE-FASHION PAGE featuring long lists of cruelty freee designers & traders as well as lists of those who support animal cruelty.

How much food does it take to produce one fur coat? Think about it!

We hear much about the pollution caused by cattle, the land used to grow their food, the water, instead of directing these resources towards starving people in the world. What no one is talking about is the food used to feed fur animals in fur farms. It is even worse when one realizes that fur animals are carnivores/omnivores, so meat and fish by-products as well as eggs and dairy are used. In the wild, these animals would fend for themselves, helping keep the delicate eco-balance meant by mother earth.

Just for an idea see what it costs to produce one mink coat!

Mink raised on farms primarily eat food not fit for human consumption, including expired cheese, eggs, fish, meat and poultry slaughterhouse by-products, dog food, and turkey livers, as well as prepared, commercial foods. A farm with 3000 mink may use as much as two tons of food per day. One Wisconsin fur farm uses 2 million pounds of expired cheese and 1 million pounds of eggs per year. In all, US mink farms use about 200,000 tons of dairy products >>>http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_a_mink_eat

WHY THE ANTI-FUR SOCIETY DOES NOT GIVE UP THE FIGHT? We will keep doing what we can to attract individuals who care to fight against the bloody fur trade; to exchange ideas, and bring in new enthusiasm for an activism that despite over 70 millions of animals skinned (many alive) for something as sordid as fur, it is being set aside as if unimportant. With that in mind, we'll be having our next conference in 2015, place and location to be decided! Stay tuned!

“Animal rights is the greatest social justice issue of this century. The power of respect will change our world.” – Kathleen Lowson, Filmmaker, CRY OF THE INNOCENT: The Voices That Can’t Speak ~~ Kathleen Lowson, Filmmaker and CEO of Lowson International Studios, is dedicated to producing transformative films that evolve the collective consciousness of humanity. Her spiritually evocative film, CRY OF THE INNOCENT: The Voices That Can’t Speak is an impassioned call for a paradigm shift in social evolution. Speaking from the soul perspective, this precedent-setting documentary will bring to light the underlying nemesis of an egocentric society and its consequential effect, and ignite the genesis of compassion and respect for all living beings on our planet. For more info and to donate, visit http://cryoftheinnocent.com //Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv2hT4fa9Gg ~~ The Skype interview with Kathleen Lowson at the conference is extremely enlightening. You will surely enjoy and learn from it: CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT

ISRAEL! FUR FREE?! LET'S HOPE SO!

A new bill to ban fur in Israel has been reintroduced!

The International Anti-Fur Coalition supported by MK Nitzan Horowitz (MK = member of the Knesset) among other important political figures have worked for several years to ban the fur trade in Israel. Their first anti-fur bill received lots of support from the Israeli population as well as many legislators, but not enough to vote it into law, so the bill was archived. Now a new bill has been reintroduced by MK Ruth Kalderon and it has been signed by 40 MKs from all political parties. Among supporters, are religious parties such as "Shas" with the only exception of Yahadut Ha’ Tora (UTJ), who continues to oppose this humane action despite the definite exception made for fur items used in religious and/or cultural affairs. Another challenge facing the good people of Israel is the Minister of Agriculture, Yair Shamir who has just come forward to oppose this bill. His endorsement is vital, so there will be a great need to convince Mr. Shamir to come to our side. We'll let you know when to send him a note! If this bill becomes law, violators will face a fine or even imprisonment of up to 6 months.

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Join us on FB to help give a voice to fur bearing animals. Please remember:

They do not have any protection under the law, they only have our voices.

NAMIBIA is now the first seal killer in the world. The slaughter goes on from July - November:

The seal trade in Namibia is basically owned by a one single fur trader who is not a Namibian national. We have two click & send letters to: 1) The government in Nambia 2) To the fur trader who owns the fur industry in Nambia. These are also "TAKE ACTION MADE EASY" just fill out your info, click & send. Under the circumstances there is not much we can do but speak out against the horrific slaughter of baby seals, their mothers and the males (bull). Please speak up for them. Please take action.

Whether you feed Royal Canin to your companion animals, or NOT, you need to know that they are supporting what is described on our above Penning/Bear Baying petition.After being exposed to the world, Royal Canin said that "they are sorry! Just how sorry are they? That they got caught? They will never be sorry enough and they don't belong in our midst. To "redeem" themselves, they offered FOUR PAWS £250,000 British pounds to find and save 20 bears. MORE: http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/417896/SHOCKING-VIDEO-Dog-v-bear-fights

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Ever heard of the King Amendment?

Please, read on as it concerns all of us: humans and all animals! Call, fax or send your Reps a note:

HSUS states: "Many have heard of the so called “King Amendment” to the federal Farm Bill, introduced by Rep. Steve King of Iowa, which seeks to nullify state laws that oversee a wide range of regulations regarding animal welfare, food safety and labeling, environmental protection, labor standards, and other issues. Dozens of laws could be challenged including those regarding GMO’s; pesticides; arsenic in poultry feed; rules on raw milk, milk fat, and milk solids; standards on alcohol production; tobacco laws; rules on invasive species; listing of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm; agricultural employment, including child labor laws; and animal welfare laws restricting intensive confinement of animals on large farms, horse slaughter, the killing of sharks for their fins, and the sale of dog and cat meat. The scope of this legislation is almost unbelievable – and there have been no hearings whatsoever on the King Amendment!"

The King amendment reads:

“[T]he government of a State or locality therein shall not impose a standard or condition on the production or manufacture of any agricultural product sold or offered for sale in interstate commerce if (1) such production or manufacture occurs in another State; and (2) the standard or condition is in addition to the standards and conditions applicable to such production or manufacture pursuant to (A) Federal law; and (B) the laws of the State and locality in which such production or manufacture occurs.”

Agricultural products are defined as in 7 U.S.C. 1626, which includes “agricultural, horticultural, viticultural, and dairy products, livestock and poultry, bees, forest products, fish and shellfish, and any products thereof, including processed and manufactured products, and any and all products raised or produced on farms and any processed or manufactured product thereof.”

The King a

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